Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-06-24

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Gus check, and begged Margaret and
me to join at Venice Tor the fete His
wife's niece Miss Laurie, was with him,
and we should doubtless enjoy each
others society. ~ :. 49,.
| remembered Madge Laurie as an
Internationally fiirt, about three
years older than I. ] didn't like her
at all then, but nowI was willing to
consort with any one for the sake OF
glimpse at Venice and all its gayeties
at that season. And best of all, Her
bert Stacy Was to be there, and we
shout d meet again! How lucky that
/ was going; otherwise there would be
no one to prevent Madge Laurie from
getting him into her tolls. I felt N.Y.
self g. match for her now.
Uncle Robert gave us minute direc-
tions about our route over the mount
aims by diligence and by train from
Belluno; we must be very exact in our
arrangements Or we should all miss
each other. He was obliged to be in
Verona at a certain date, and could
not tarry in Venice a. day after the
fete. We must notify him at once
whether he might expect US or not,
and ii we could not arrive surely by
the 18th, we had better remain quiet
ly where we were.
A diligence left that very hour which
would take our answer, and the next
morning we could start, arriving at
noon of the 18th If all went we'll.
This most promising of journeys be.
gan very auspiciously on cool, de-
licious morning. We mounted to the
coupe places in the diligence; the driv-
er, q saucy-eyed fellow, with a bunch
OF rhododendron in his hat, barred his
head, mumbled a prayer and crossed
himself before he took the reins. We
started off at a fine pace over q road
like q marble floor.
Even to us wayfarers: who had
grown quite familiar with the grand
plunge and roar OF an avalanche, the
gIddy fall OF glacier torrents, the
plumy pines, jauntily worn cloud wells
and other mountain millinery, this
drive would be for all time e. memoir
able one. Italy Tapped over into the
Iyrol and gave the people dark, lus-
trous eyes, 1.-the figures, a graceful port
and picturesque costume long before
we left Austrian territory.
Near Croce Blanca q pathetic Incl.
dent occurred. A wan~looking woman
came out from q cottage and walked
slowly toward US, bearing a small
black box on her head She said a. few
sentences in Italian to our guard, who
reverently pushed the rough little cot.
lin in among the luggage at the back
OF the diligence. He afterwards told
us that it contained tine body of a
baby who had died the previous dav.
Its mother, fatally i'll at the cottage,
had begged that it might be buried at
Pieve di Galore, her birthplace, where
she had friends who would receive it.
1t was quite out of the ordinary
custom to make the diligence a tuner
al car for a peasant baby; but regu-
latlons were elastic in that part OF the
world, and our guard seemed ready
to risk reproof in order to crafty a
dying woman's wish.
Pieye di Galore, the birthplace of
Titan. as we'll as OF the poor woman
who had lost her baby, was mile or
more distant from the diligence road.
For passengers wishing to visit this
place an omnibus was sent to the
crossroads; those more prosaically
inclined remaining at an inn for din
ner and repose.
We were among the latter, and, aft
er taking refreshment, watched at our
ease from afar the hustle OF changing
horses and men and escorting travel
ers and luggage from one conveyance
to the other. At nightfall we watched
Marina, where we were provided with
supper and room decorated with
pictures OF saints in smiling torture.
The next morning, as we had some
hours to spare before resuming our
Journey, Margaret astonished me by
sending for her violin.
"You don't mean to say you have
brought the fiddle on this expedition
OF all others!" 1 exclaimed, blankly.
"Of course brought it. It would
not have been safe otherwise, and l
was not sure we should return by this
route. I babe the waiter put it in the
diligence without your knowledge, as
sometimes fancied it annoyed you
every well,' returned, resignedly.
II will 60 out for walk while you
practice And [ suited the action to
the word without further delay.
My thoughts were cheerful compan-
ions. The next afternoon would find
us in Venice; the day following would
be a red-letter one for all the year; the
birthday fete, the wonders Of the ma
rine city, meeting again Herbert
Stacy. All was like a delicious dream,
short and sweet as dreams are, but
amply worth any fatigue and discom-
fort which the Journey might cause.
When l returned from my walk I
found Margaret in floods oftears, pac.
ing the room distractedly and wiring
ing her hands in undisguised distress.
When she could control her voice she
told me a woeful tale.
When went out she had sent for
the violin. After some unaccountable
delay, q man appeared, bringing a
black box, which was like-and yet
strangely unlike-the fiddle case. "a
creepy feeling ran down my back as
looked at its she said: Il sent the
man to look again, but he declared
there was no other black box among
the luggage, except a hat case. He
grew quite violent about it, and 1sup-
pose he Was excited, too, for the truth
was beginning to dawn upon me. Final
ly he ran away and got screwdriver,
opened the box, and started back
with an exclamation which confirmed
my worst fears. It contained that
poor 3ittlepaby, looking as beautiful
and peacefo as anything you can
imagine"
4 "How dreadful! But you must
have recovered from the shock now,
Margaret, DEAR" 49,. ~:
''Shock? You don't seem to realize
that they have buried my violin"
] dropped Imply into a chair.
'There is not g. moment to lose"
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